Between them, the two teams hardly managed to carve out a worthwhile chance all game, providing a relatively comfortable afternoon in the sunshine for keepers Fraser Forster and Ben Foster.

Both sides are in a transition period – but need to get their act together quickly to avoid having to play catch-up.

And it was Koeman – eager to spend before the transfer window closes on September 1 – who was most concerned after a heavy-footed display by his team that leaves them with just a point from two games.

Koeman said: “The result was better than last week against Liverpool but the feeling is different. We didn’t have the tempo to play better against a West Brom side with good organisation and strength in defence.

“We didn’t have quality to surprise them so it was difficult. It was too slow and gave the opposition time to have good organisation.

“We are still working hard to bring in one or two players. We need them because it is a long season and we need players for competition and quality in the squad.”

“Steven Davis neatly set up Tadic whose low, angled shot was beaten away by the Albion keeper at his near post”

Early pressure from Saints might have earned them a breakthrough to change the game.

But Dusan Tadic’s sweeping cross from the left was fractionally behind Graziano Pelle, who failed to get a clean connection and the ball slipped harmlessly away from Albion keeper Foster’s goal. The visitors looked equally promising with their first attack, Chris Brunt providing the cross for Victor Anichebe to flick his effort just wide, with Forster thankful to see it drift beyond his left-hand post.

It was not until ten minutes before the break that Foster was called on to make the first meaningful save of the game.

Steven Davis neatly set up Tadic whose low, angled shot was beaten away by the Albion keeper at his near post.

Davis made way for recent £12million Southampton signing Shane Long for the second period.

And Albion boss Alan Irvine followed suit. He took off Anichebe in the 52 minute, putting on £9m club-record signing Brown Ideye.

The sub nearly made an immediate impact, rising at the far post to meet Brunt’s deep cross with a powerful header that ended up just the wrong side of Forster’s left-hand post.

Saints again went close to the first goal in the 70th minute. Mulumbu fouled Pelle on the left edge of the penalty area and James Ward-Prowse swung in a wicked, curling free-kick that rattled the outside of the post as Forster scrambled across his goal.

Irvine was far happier than his Southampton counterpart and said: “I was very pleased with our defence.